


Not a Bad Girl (But I'd Do Bad Things with You)

by ViolentAddict



Category: John Wick (Movies)
Genre: Are we really surprised at this point, BAMF! John Wick, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, I mean it's me, More Plot than I realized, Prepare for a shit ton of plot, Reader-Insert, Tags may change as story gets more explicit, Vampire! John Wick, human reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-05-03 18:34:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14575095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViolentAddict/pseuds/ViolentAddict
Summary: You go with your brothers to defeat the legendary vampire John Wick, but things take a turn for the worse when John gets the upper hand in the battle. You all barely make it out alive and the horrific images of that fateful night remain scarred in your memory, while the tempting scent of your blood remains forever locked in his.What you don't know is your life is still in danger, too bad your best salvation lies in the man who walks the path of the damned. You have no choice but to become allies with him or watch those you love get hurt trying to protect you. Though it goes against everything your family has ever taught you, you need to learn to trust him.To make things even worse, the way you feel about him confuses you. His touch should fill you with sheer revulsion but instead, something you can't bear to name, something like desire, sends thrills down your spine and goosebumps to pebble across your skin.As your fates become more and more intertwined, you come to a realization: you feel safer with him. But how? You were taught to fear the darkness, now you shy away from the light. If only the most despicable of monsters stray from the path of the righteous, then what does that make you?





	1. The Monsters Prey at Night

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I was watching John Wick for the first time last week and this idea came to me. 
> 
> I feel a little sick because I woke up with a sore throat and aching muscles and I am just not in the best of moods, but I wanted to finish writing this because this plotbunny kept haunting me lol and I thought it would be cool to share it here. Also, I am now a year older so yay for that.
> 
> This story may get explicit next chapter, so I'll change the ratings and tags accordingly. 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy! I need to lie down. -_-
> 
> Chapter Inspiration: "So it Goes", by Taylor Swift

". . .He was supposed to be an angel but they took him  
from that light and turned him into something hungry,  
something that forgets what his hands are for when they  
aren’t shaking. . .

. . .you would let the world  
break its own neck if it means keeping him.  
Start by wiping the blood off of his chin and  
pretending to understand.

When is a monster not a monster?

Oh, when you love it.

You love him, you do.  
Tell him that you will never know any better."

 - Caitlyn Siehl

* * *

 

The night is cold and rainy. You stare at the unrelenting water droplets gliding down the glass of the car window, cursing yourself for wearing a thin lace blouse and shorts that cling to your thighs with little protection save for a coat that could stand to be a lot thicker. You can’t help but grimace as you compare your skimpy clothes to those of the men sitting in the car with you, all dressed up as if they’re going to brave the glacial winter at the peak of Mount Everest. 

Axel had insisted you wear this getup because it was supposed to be appealing. “Come on, Y/N, it’s only for tonight.” He had given you that serious I-mean-business face that he used with your other brothers to get them to go with his stupid plans, but what worked for them never worked for you.

You remained unconvinced. “This is ridiculous. I have practically zero protection against the elements much less this guy you’re all so afraid of!” you hissed at him.

Josh must have heard you two arguing from the other room because he came in just as Axel was about to deliver a retort. “What’s going on?”

You gestured in Axel’s direction by way of explanation. He held up the offending garment unashamedly, which was typical. He wasn’t the one asked to wear it.

Josh nodded, understanding. “Y/N, I know it’s not your normal style, but it’s just for tonight. No man or vamp would turn you down in this outfit and we need you to lure him in so we can make a move.”

“I don’t like the idea of you guys using me as a trap,” you said through gritted teeth. “What if I get hurt? If this vamp is as bad as you say he is, then how do I know I’m going to make it out alive?”

Axel rolled his eyes and you saw him mouth the word ‘melodramatic’ but a look of guilt crossed Josh’s face. “We won’t let what happened to Luke happen to you.”

You winced, your poor brother was murdered by a vampire. It was the reason your whole family got into vampire hunting -- to avenge him.

“I’m just a beginner hunter, funny how you guys won’t let me go on hunts with you, until today where I’ll be little more use than bait.”

“Y/N, we know it sounds terrible, but it’ll be quick. You lure the vamp in, he remains unaware, then we strike and that’s it. Get in, get out. It’s that simple.” Josh was better at reasoning with you than anyone else. 

You nodded. “Fine, just give it here, before I change my mind.” 

Axel had cheered and eagerly handed you the outfit while Josh grinned. You headed to your room to get changed and after putting on the dreadful ensemble, upon inspection, you came to the conclusion that you hated it even more now that it was on your body. 

The neckline of the white top was too low, showcasing your cleavage way more than you were comfortable with and the dark shorts clung to your wide hips, making them look even wider. Your makeup was light and your large eyes peeked from your desperately-in-need-of-a-trim bangs, giving you slight relief that at least the vixen staring at you in the mirror was still  _ you _ .

The thought of Axel picking this getup for you in whatever god forsaken store he found it in, made you want to club him with a bat. Even if you didn’t get your revenge on him today, you would someday. 

As you turned to put on the black coat hanging behind your door, feeling exposed and way too silly for your own good, you hoped you’d get your revenge someday soon.

You zipped out of your bedroom to find Josh and tell him you were ready to go, figuring it was best to get it over with as soon as possible but you were moving so fast you nearly collided with Kyle. Luckily, he held out his hands to stop you from knocking into him.

“Whoa Y/N, where’s the fire?” He had chuckled.

You blushed, not knowing what to say exactly. Kyle was smiling and his soft green eyes peered at you with affection. It gave you heart palpitations being in the same room with him, and now that you were face to face, your heart felt as if it would leap out of your chest.

“How are you doing, Kyle?” you asked Josh’s best friend, the guy you had a crush on since second grade.

He was speechless as he took in your appearance. You could feel the blood rising to your cheeks as Kyle struggled to compose himself. “I’m. . .fine. You. . .um. . . look nice,” he complimented, finding his voice again after a while.

You shook your head. “Thanks,” you said dryly. “I call this outfit ‘Vampire Food’.”

He laughed. “I was wondering why you were dressed like this.”

Josh and Axel came out of Axel’s room to greet Kyle. Upon seeing you in the clothes he picked out, Axel gave you a thumbs up and Josh patted you on the back. 

“Maybe you should collect vampire saliva as a souvenir, since everyone in the club will be drooling all over you,” Axel teased. Kyle and Josh glared at him. This time, you didn’t hesitate to punch him as hard as you could on the arm.

* * *

 

The ride to the club is nerve-wracking. It isn’t punctuated by the normal sound of Ryan and Axel fighting over the AUX cord or Josh talking to you about any new books he happened to read or even Kyle attempting small talk. The sounds you’re normally accustomed to whenever the five of you hop in the car to go somewhere. Instead an eerie silence has befallen the vehicle and though you want desperately to break it, the anxiety has you in its chokehold and you find it hard to speak.

_ It’s going to be fine, _ you reassure yourself, but even to your own ears, it sounds like a lie. There’s no reason for you to be scared, your brothers had gone on hunting trips before and always came back with the head of the monster they planned to kill. The only difference between now and those other times is the fact that they’re bringing you along. 

You know the plan like the back of your hand; Josh wouldn’t let you leave until you could repeat it back to him as confirmation. You’re with the best hunters you know, so why are you still scared?

Josh pats you on the shoulder, a gesture of comfort. “What’s eating you, Y/N?”

You rake a hand through your short hair. “What’s the bounty on this guy? What’s so special about him that is makes everyone so scared to even breathe his name?”

Josh winces and you can see he doesn’t want to talk about it. Instead, Axel answers for him. “This isn’t an ordinary man or an ordinary vampire. They say he’s dangerous enough to bring Satan to his knees. He’s a murdering, lethal monster that won’t stop at anything until he’s killed everyone in the room.”

You swallow the lump in your throat. “And you guys think it’s wise to piss him off?”

Ryan laughs bitterly. “He’s tough but we’re tougher. All we have to do is finish him and we become the richest mofos ever.”

You shake your head, disgusted. “I thought we didn’t do this for money.” You look to Josh but he turns his head away from your searching gaze.

“We take anything if it means we get to spill vamp blood,” Axel spits.

You sigh and a shiver crawls up your spine. “I’m going to need a weapon to protect myself.”

Ryan reaches behind him to hand you a small silver pocket knife. “This’ll do the job. If he comes near you, just stab him.”

“Thanks,” you mutter sarcastically. “This’ll do the trick beautifully I’m sure.”

“Just don’t stab  _ yourself _ with it. I’m not going to have the time to clean up your blood  _ and _ protect your clumsy ass too,” Axel argues.

You grit your teeth. “Don’t worry,  _ Alexander, _ ” you say, putting emphasis on his real name which you know he hates. “Hopefully my clumsy ass gets you instead.”

“Enough, both of you,” Josh mutters. “Let’s just focus on the task at hand.  _ Please _ .” 

You both mumble, “Sorry,” and return to ignoring each other.

The night club is a dark, discreet building that you wouldn’t have guessed was even a club if not for the bright neon pink letters spelling out ‘Karma’. 

Kyle helps you out of the car and you blush again as a cool breeze with rain water drifts across the exposed flesh of your legs reminding you that you’re not exactly dressed for the occasion. 

“Everything’s going to be alright,” Kyle reassures you upon seeing your face switch colors. 

You give him a small smile and aim to keep your composure.  _ Get in, get out, get in, get out, _ you repeat the mantra to yourself as comfort for the sure to be crazy night ahead. 

Your brothers and Kyle suit up and strap their weapons to their bodies. You take a peek and see many different types of wooden stakes, guns that you assume have silver bullets as well as a few wooden and silver crosses. For a moment you forget about your fear and watch in wonder as they each help each other out attaching the weapons to places that will hide them well. 

When everyone’s ready and waiting for Axel, who went back to the car to get the holy water, you pull your coat further around you. Why did the weather decide to be so chilly tonight? The one night you weren’t wearing proper clothing?

Kyle pulls you close to him and whispers, “Y/N, stay close, okay? If you get scared just know we’re with you, lurking in the shadows, waiting to fight.”

You nod, though your pulse races so fast you get a little dizzy. It’s not the fear anymore, in fact, it’s Kyle. His proximity is distracting, almost enough for you to forget that you’re even scared in the first place.

Axel appears and gives the signal and then all five of you are walking towards the building.

But it’s not what any of you are expecting. Instead of a club full of people dancing and having a good time, lifeless bodies lay motionless on the ground and staircase leading to the second story, broken glass is scattered across the dance floor and there’s nothing but blood on the walls. 

You gasp and Kyle pulls you close to him, hiding your face. 

“ _ Jesus, _ what happened here?” Ryan whispers, but you can barely hear him over the thudding of your heart in your chest. 

The crunching sound of broken glass fills your ears and you pull away from Kyle to investigate. Ahead of you, is a man --  _ no, vamp _ \-- your mind corrects you, slowly, casually walking forward amongst the carnage.

You’ve never seen a vampire in person before and if you weren’t so afraid, you’d actually be a little amazed. The first thing you see are his eyes, pitch black in the dark of the room staring straight at the five of you. They’re menacing as they take in your unharmed state. His pale skin, luminescent in the dark compliments the void of his gaze while his ebony hair sways a little with his steps, brushing his shoulders and drawing the attention to his lips which are pressed into an unsmiling line. He’s wearing a well tailored suit, black like his eyes and hair. You would find it odd that he’s dressed so well if you weren’t already thinking of ways to escape. . .

The arm Kyle has around your shoulders stiffens and he takes a step back with you while your brothers move to stand in front of you, ready to kill to protect you.

“Get Y/N to the car, Kyle, now!” Axel urges.

You don’t understand at first, your mind is too focused on those depthless eyes that seem to see into your soul for you to realize the very real danger you’re in.

Kyle pulls your arm, urging you to get back outside to the car but you can’t move. You’re frozen in place, your muscles stiffening as your body refuses to cooperate.

Ryan, Axel and Josh run towards the vamp but he doesn’t hesitate to fight back. He pushes Axel and Ryan out of the way easily but it isn’t until he grabs Josh by the neck that you scream, racing forward until you’re face to face with the monster about to kill your brother.

Josh yells at you to run or hide or  _ something _ but you don’t. Instead you pull out your pocket knife ready to strike when the vamp tosses Josh aside and reaches for you. Just as his hands are about to grab you, Kyle jumps in the way pushing you into the bar. 

Pain,  _ fierce stabbing aching  _ pain demands your attention and you look down to see your whole arm from wrist to elbow impaled by tiny little shards of broken glass. You want to scream, but your throat is too dry.

The nauseating smell of the blood fills your nostrils and you hold your breath, trying not to let the disgust overwhelm you.

You’re so distracted by the effort it’s taking not to heave that you nearly forget about the fight happening in front of you until you hear the stomach-churning, unforgettable sound of bones breaking. Ryan’s laying on the floor, his leg completely bent in half. You wince and close your eyes trying to block out the sight.

Tears fill your vision as you drop to the ground looking for the pocket knife.

_ Poor Ryan,  _ you think.  _ You can’t die here. I won’t let you. . . _

“No!” You hear Josh yell but you don’t stop searching for your knife until someone puts a strong hand on your shoulder stopping you completely.

When you look up you’re peering into those shadowy eyes. 

“Please,” you whisper, but even you know it’s too late.

The vamp pulls you to your feet and on shaky legs you stand, nearly a foot shorter than him. His dark eyes appraise you slowly before they stare at your bleeding arm. 

You watch, helpless as the black in his eyes grows impossibly dimmer and he leans in to breathe in the scent of your blood. A choked off sob bursts from your throat and you look away, positive that this is it, the moment your life ends.

You wait for it, the sharp bite that will throw you off the edge into an abyss you can’t come back from, but to your surprise there is nothing. Maybe he was merciful in making your death painless?

It’s not until you feel something cool press against your back when you realize you’re sitting down and the vampire is hovering above you. He notices your tears and gives you a small smile. For a moment, you see the human within him before it’s gone when he turns around, ready to attack your brothers.

In a dark corner of the club, you sit and pray, for their lives and yours.


	2. Feet Upon the Ground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “If you don't hunt it down and kill it, it will hunt you down and kill you.”   
> ― Flannery O'Connor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!
> 
> ;)

“The thing about hearts is that they always want to keep beating,”    
― Elizabeth Scott, Living Dead Girl

 

Just as quickly as it started, it came to an end. 

One second you were on the floor behind the bar, praying for your brothers’ safety when the vampire, Wick, disappeared, leaving you, your brothers and Kyle, broken, bent and bleeding. It was horrible, but at least you were all still alive. 

You and Ryan were in the worst shape out of your group; Ryan’s leg was twisted at a horrible angle, while your arm was now bleeding so much you were starting to get woozy. Josh and Kyle didn’t hesitate to help you both back to the car while Axel drove to the hospital.

The ride is filled with panicked shouting and excited chatter. Josh’s voice is the only calm one amongst the cacophony. “It’s going to be okay, both of you. Just focus on me. Y/N and Ryan! Do you hear me? Focus on the sound of my voice!”

The sticky, warm liquid leaking down your arm is making you more and more uneasy the longer you sit there, but you know you have to stay strong. As much as you want to throw up and pass out, you know that won’t help anything. And if you can fight the nausea, you’re going to fight it.

Ryan whimpers next to you, he’s leaning most of his weight into the backseat while one hand has a death grip on Josh’s arm. You can’t even imagine the amount of pain he’s in. You take no pleasure in seeing him hurt like this.

“Everything’s going to be alright,” you copy Josh in reassuring Ryan because he’s the one who truly needs the comfort. You know  _ you’ll _ be fine, you always are.

“Dammit!” Axel curses. “We were no match for him.”

“Just focus on the road! You’re swerving too much,” Kyle cries. “We’re lucky we got out of there alive!”

“Yeah,” Axel mutters. “No shit!” Then, “Y/N, how you holding up?”

“I’d be a lot better if we make it to the hospital in one piece. Slow down, Axel,” you say.

He just keeps his foot on the gas as if he hasn’t heard you.

Though Axel is a major idiot, you have to give him his props. He manages to get you guys there safely without hurting any pedestrians.

Immediately, he and Kyle help Ryan to the emergency room entrance while Josh keeps you near him, a hand around your shoulders like the protective, helpful brother he is. 

“I’m going to be fine,” you mumble. “Ryan’s who you should be worrying about.”

“We got you into this mess,” he says with a sigh, seeming to not have even heard a word you said. “This was not part of the plan.”

You nod, but say nothing more. A part of you wants to scream at him that of course, it wasn’t a part of the plan, but he has the exact same look on his face he had at Luke’s funeral when you all watched your brother’s casket lower to the ground. It was that same hopeless, scared expression that made you realize that Josh was just as human as the rest of you, he was just more composed. 

“It’s going to be fine. Trust me,” you say, giving him a tentative smile.

He pulls you close to him and kisses your head. For a long time, neither of you speak. And then, after a few beats, he whispers, “I can’t lose anyone again, Y/N. I can’t.”

You hug him back tighter, even though the motion makes your arm burn like a son of a bitch, you ignore it in favor of comforting him. “We’re not losing anyone, not tonight,” you murmur reassuringly.

He walks you to the emergency room where the nurses place you on a gurney and wheel you away from your brothers and Kyle. They fuss over you, and hover like overbearing parents as they treat your arm and prepare you for the stitches and gauze.

You’re not used to such treatment, and it’s slightly embarrassing, but you try to relax because you know you’re in good hands.

An older nurse walks by after you’re bandaged up and pumped full of pills. Her aged blue eyes smile at you as she approaches. “Do you mind telling me what happened?” she asks. “I would think at seventeen you’d have better things to do on a Friday night than spend it in the emergency room.”

You shrug, attempting nonchalance. The medication they gave you is making it a little hard to keep your eyes open. “I fell down a bunch of stairs. My brother came tumbling down after me.”

The nurse raises her eyebrows, her expression dubious. “That’s your story, dear?”

You nod.

“And you’re sticking to it?”

You nod again and watch as she marks something on a clipboard, huffing a disgruntled breath. 

“How’s my brother? Is he okay?” The words feel like you’re chewing on lead. Your eyelids keep drooping and your vision is starting to blur. It’s only a matter of time before you succumb to the waves of slumber lapping against your conscious, but you need to know how Ryan is doing. If he’s going to make it.

When the nurse gives a small nod, that’s when you allow yourself to go under. 

That night you dream of dark, depthless eyes peering into yours and ice cold hands sending thrills against your skin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I realized that I put it as only two chapters. I suppose originally I planned for this story to be two chapters but then the plot grew and grew and now I know that there is so much more room for plot. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, and as always, more to come soon!


	3. Take Me to Hell and Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Give me the burden, give me the blame  
> How many, how many Hail Marys is it gonna take?"
> 
> \- 'The Devil's Backbone', The Civil Wars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> So I'm not enamored with this chapter, since nothing much really happens but just establishment of reader's world, sort of, but I think that's necessary sometimes. Some exciting things will pick up in the ensuing chapters and I'll reveal more and more info as the story progresses.
> 
> Thank you so much for the kudos and the comments and of course, for reading! Do enjoy!
> 
> Stay tuned, guys!

 

"My girl, my girl, don't lie to me  
Tell me where did you sleep last night  
In the pines, in the pines  
Where the sun don't ever shine  
I would shiver the whole night through"

\- Nirvana, 'In the Pines'

* * *

 

You wake up to a dim light shining from your window. Groggy and grumbling, you lean up and realize you’re in. . .your bedroom? But how? Last thing you remember you were in Josh’s arms as he carried you out of the hospital.

The familiar warmth of your gold bed sheets give you comfort as well as the rosary hanging by your headboard. Closing your eyes, you whisper a small thank you to the universe for keeping you alive.

It’s hard to move around too much; your muscles are still a little stiff, but it’s nothing you can’t handle. Rising up you go to open your curtains to let more light in, when you see the bandages all over your arm and then you remember--Ryan. 

Running towards his room you go to look for him, but he isn’t there when you reach. Instead, his bed’s empty. He’s gone.

Your mom ascends the stairs with a pile of laundry in a basket, her face is puzzled when she takes in your worried expression. 

“What’s the matter Y/N? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?” she asks.

“Mom, where’s Ryan?” you shout, unable to keep your composure.

She frowns. “Don’t you remember? He’s at the hospital. Apparently you fell down some stairs and Ryan tried to save you but he fell too. Poor kid.”

Anger fills you when you see it all so clearly, like a film replaying in your head: the vampire, the blood, the broken glass. . . “Uh, yeah, he was never any less clumsy than I was,” you reply, aiming to sound casual. “Do you know if he’s going to be okay?” 

She nods. “Josh, Axel, and your father are there right now. They say he’s in stable condition, but if anything happens, they’ll let us know, okay honey?” She reaches in to hug you and you accept her embrace. It makes you feel safe and warm, loved.

When she pulls away, you can’t help but feel bereft.

She moves to walk away, carrying the laundry basket. “I’ll make breakfast in a bit. I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.”

Your mom informs you it’s Saturday while she stacks three huge pancakes on your plate. Drizzling maple syrup on them, you try to act normal, trying not to make her worry anymore than she probably has been since she got the news of yours and Ryan’s injuries. 

But you should have known better than to think she wouldn’t pick up on your strange behavior or that you could act normal for any period of time.

“Honey, your fork’s shaking. Is something the matter?”

Your hand stills and the fork falls.  _ Clang! _ It goes as it hits the plate.

“Huh?” you reply brilliantly.

She raises an eyebrow. “What’s wrong? You don’t seem like yourself.”

You shake your head to negate her suspicions. “I’m fine, I’m just a little woozy from the pain medication.”

She doesn’t look convinced, but she says no more and continues to butter her toast. You begin to think that that’s the end of it, until she says: “You’ve been hanging with your brothers too much lately. I think your latest accident is just evidence that you need to go back to being with your girlfriends.”

The sip you take of orange juice suddenly feels really heavy on your tongue. “No mom, I already told you. I  _ like _ hanging with the guys. What good is it hanging with Meg and Kimiko?”

“Well, for starters,” she begins, not missing a beat. “You’re less likely to get hurt tagging along with them than with your violent brothers.”

You can’t deny that there’s some truth in her words. “I guess you’re right,” you mumble.

Your mom smiles. “We’ll see what your dad thinks when he comes home,” she suggests.

You nod, agreeing, before taking another sip of your OJ.  _ This isn’t going to be good. _

* * *

 

“Of course, your mother is right. The whole business of vampire hunting is banned as for today,” your father explains while you and your family, except your mom who knows absolutely nothing about the truth of your family’s lineage, are huddled in the basement.

“But Dad,” you and Axel whine.

He sighs. “I’m sorry that it has to be like this, but there’s just no way I can let you three continue when there’s that ruthless vampire out there who made an example of Ryan.”

“That’s why we need to get our revenge!” Axel suggests with fervor.

Your father turns to Josh, who has been awfully silent this whole time. “What do you think?”

He nods. “I agree.”

When Axel makes a noise of protest and shock, Josh continues. “We could have prevented Ryan from getting hurt if we just stayed home.”

Axel’s face falls into a disappointed frown. “He wanted to be there. He was doing this for Luke.”

Josh curses under his breath. “Luke would have wanted us to stop.”

Axel jumps up and gets into Josh’s face, but Josh, who isn’t one to cower, stares him down. “Take that back,” Axel spits. “You don’t get to say shit about Luke.”

“It’s true and you know it,” Josh insists.

Axel says nothing more, but from where you’re sitting you can see the tears in his eyes he’s working to hold back. 

“That’s enough you two,” you say, rising to intervene. 

Your father clears his throat and you all turn to him. “This isn’t up for debate. Vampire hunting ends now. Do you understand me? Do I make myself clear?” he asks.

You all nod. 

“And Y/N?”

“Y-yes Dad?”

“You’re especially banned from hunting. Understand me? I don’t want my daughter getting caught up in this mess. It was wrong of you guys to drag her into it.”

No one says anything. Like a second skin, you can feel everyone’s embarrassment and shame.

“Dad’s right,” Josh says. “We should have been protecting you.”

“I don’t need to be protected,” you huff. 

Your father shakes his head. “It’s not safe for any of you. Just promise me, it’s over with.”

“We promise,” you and Josh say in unison.

“Axel?” your dad calls, but Axel says nothing. He simply glares at Josh.

As soon as you’re all back upstairs, Josh goes to the TV and puts on Jeopardy!, but Axel walks away. You think of following him, but then you see him go to Luke’s room and you stop yourself. You’ll give him his space, after all, there’s nothing you can do to make this better.

* * *

 

You’re waiting in the parking lot of the movie theater for Meg and Kimmy who agreed to meet you. Your suggestion that you all go to see the new Mummy movie out now was apparently too appealing to turn down since they agreed without hesitation.

It’s been a week since your dad banned you all from vampire hunting and so far, it hasn’t been so bad, except for the fact that your parents have been forcing you to interact with your old friends as a means to find a hobby.

You’ve been seeing them in school and talking to them on the phone, but it’s still awkward as hell. And yet, you make the effort because you know that having a normal life is better, safer. 

It’s not long before Kimmy and Meg arrive, hugging you tightly and greeting you as if things had never changed in second grade. It’s hard to believe there was a time when you traded summers hanging out with them, for nights alone in your bedroom reading gothic classics like Frankenstein and the Hunchback of Notre Dame with nothing but your flashlight and teddy bear. 

“We heard about what happened to Ryan. We’re so sorry, Y/N,” Meg tells you, giving you a soft smile.

“Yeah, Y/N, we’re sorry,” Kimmy says, her eyes survey you carefully. “We heard he was trying to stop you from falling. Is he doing better? Are you?”

You smile at them both. “Thanks for your concern, but we’re fine.”

“Well, if you ever need anything, we’re here for you,” Meg says, leaning in to wrap you in her arms.

“Actually, I was thinking it wouldn’t hurt if I had a night to feel human again,” you say shyly. “I’ve been feeling so detached from everything lately. It blows.”

Kimmy moves to walk ahead. “Then what are you waiting for? Let’s just have a nice night with popcorn and strapping, brave heroes.”

You laugh, following behind her. “Lead the way.”

The movie is shit, but Meg and Kimmy’s company is great.They keep you giggling so much during most of the flick, you even forget it’s terrible.

As you leave the cinema, Meg suggests you go with them in her car to the strip mall nearby. It’s an idea you’re definitely on board with, but you know your thin sweater isn’t going to warm you when the night gets cooler, so you quickly head to your car to get your jacket.

It’s strange how little cars there are in the parking lot when you go to search for yours, but you don’t think much of it. Maybe people left early, or maybe it’s a slow night for the movie theater? It’s not until you are fumbling with your car keys when you sense that something’s definitely not quite right.

Goosebumps break across your skin and a chill crawls up your spine, causing you to gasp and drop your keys. Immediately you look around but you see no one. Bending down to retrieve your keys, you pick them up off the ground and attempt to get the door unlocked again when suddenly you feel an eerie presence behind you.

You turn around to meet a dark, depthless gaze burning into yours and you scream on instinct, before his cool hand covers your mouth to silence you.

It’s the vampire from your nightmares, your mind unhelpfully supplies. Closing your eyes, you attempt to pray until you feel a cool breath ghost across your throat.

You open your eyes to see him leaning in close to you, scenting your skin. A chuckle escapes his lips when he notices you staring and he says: “Keeping you alive is going to be harder than I thought.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! As usual, more to come soon!


	4. Army of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> I'm so sorry for the long delay in updating. School's started again so I've been pretty busy with this semester as well as holding down my part time job. I actually didn't even realize it had been a while until I looked at the last updated section and saw that it's been literally a whole month. Honestly, where does the time go?
> 
> I want to thank you all for reading and leaving supportive, awesome comments! You guys mean a lot to me! I'll be working to update this story more frequently! Also, I think it's going to exceed 8 chapters, but we'll see of course. 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading, more to come soon!
> 
> Chapter inspired by Queen of the Damned Soundtrack and Sucker Punch.

“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster.”    
― Friedrich Nietzsche

* * *

“Y/N?” Kimmy calls, you can hear footsteps approaching but as desperate as you are to be found, you’re smart enough not to scream a second time. It’s bad enough the vamp’s got you in his clutch, it’ll be a lot worse if he got your friends too. So, you take deep breaths through your nose and try to calm your racing heart, all the while watching the vamp carefully to make sure he doesn’t go after them.

You’ll sacrifice yourself if need be. You just hope that if he has you, he’d be merciful enough to let them go. 

The footsteps get louder. Mockingly, the vamp puts a finger to his lips in warning. You suddenly remember the pocket knife in your glove compartment, the same one Axel gave you. If only you placed it in your jeans.  _ Too late now _ , you think.  _ Any sudden movements and I’m done for.  _

The wind whispers across your skin and brings with it the clear, crisp scent of an oncoming storm. As the vamp scents the air too, a look of interest crosses his face, so briefly it’s gone before you know it, and he lets you go. “You’re not safe here,” he whispers in that smooth, alluring timbre of a voice. It lingers in the breeze like a secret while he is nowhere to be found.

You’re too busy trying to catch up on all that air your poor lungs were deprived of to pay attention to him or his words. By the time you’ve recollected yourself, he’s completely gone, without a trace. You don’t know whether to be relieved by that or angry you didn’t get the chance to harm him. There’s no way you’re leaving your house without a stake and holy water next time.

“Oh my gosh, Y/N! You look terrible! Are you okay?” Meg’s in your face now, her soft, gentle hands are petting your hair and trying to get you to look at her.

You nod on instinct. “I’m fine. I just dropped my keys and had a hard time finding them.”

Meg and Kimmy, to your relief, drop the subject. 

“I think a storm’s coming,” you say, leaning against the side of your car, pretending to study the sky with intent. You still aren’t breathing properly, but it’s not too terrible you can’t cope. “It’s probably going to be an awful one.”

Kimmy nods, agreeing. “I think we should call it a night, guys.”

You hug them and it’s not until Meg points it out when you notice you’re trembling. 

“Are you  _ sure  _ you’re okay, Y/N?” she asks again, and this time, you can’t lie. 

“I don’t feel too good.” You’re suddenly way too aware of the wound on your arm, underneath your bandages. You can smell the thick, cloying scent of blood and feel the oppressing heat in the room as you counted down your final moments. It’s too much and you fall to your knees, gasping for air and clutching your chest trying to stop your heart from breaking free. 

“I...need...to...get...home,” you manage to finally grit out before the world goes black.

* * *

 

You’re back in your room. Your mother is by the window, toying with the curtains which explains why you woke up to light shining in your face. 

“Morning, honey,” she greets, but you ignore her and turn on your side facing the wall. 

“What’s wrong with me, Mom?” It comes out in a hushed whisper and you close your eyes trying to remember anything that happened before you woke up here. 

“You had a panic attack. Your Dad’s on the phone with Dr. Richmond right now. He’ll be up in a second. In the meantime, would you like something? Water, juice, your medication?” Her voice is cherry sweet and apple pie warm as she comes over to stroke your hand. 

“I’d like to be alone,” you tell her honestly.

She says nothing more, but you can sense the shift in the room’s atmosphere as she leaves you with just a “if you need anything, call me.”

It isn’t long before your Dad’s sitting on your bed, sighing deeply. “I know you’re worried about Ryan. Hell, maybe you’re worried about a lot more things than I can even understand. When I was your age--”

“I saw him again, Dad. The vampire who hurt Ryan.”

Your father goes silent. 

“We’re not safe here. I don’t think we’ll ever be.” 

“Now, love. I won’t let anyone hurt you or your brothers. You know that, right?” His voice isn’t as reassuring as it usually is, somehow today, all you can hear is the uncertainty.

“He knew where I was. He could have hurt Meg and Kimmy.” You let the first choked sob out, but it’s not long before you’re crying so much you can’t quiet yourself.

Your Dad aims to comfort you. “I know you’re upset, but we have to stay strong.”

“We aren’t doing anything to get our revenge. We’re just laying around waiting for him to get us!” You turn to him, eyes blazing with fury. “Face it, Dad. We need to go hunting.”

“Absolutely not!”

“How else do you expect us to survive?” You study his face, searching for an answer and you get one, just not the one you were hoping for.

“You don’t, do you? We’re all screwed, aren’t we?” You can’t keep the hysterical edge out of your voice. “Of course! I should have known.”

You jump out of bed, unable to be in the same room with him any longer and bump into Josh in your haste to leave.

“Glad to see someone’s awake,” your older brother teases, but his face falls when he sees both you and your father’s expressions. “What’s wrong?”

You glare at him revealing the tangle of emotions inside you all ranging from disgust, to hurt, to disappointment. “I should have stuck with Axel on this one. At least  _ he’s _ not a coward.”

“Y/N,” Josh pleads, but you ignore him. Grabbing a robe off a nearby chair, you leave the room and go outside, but your brother is right on your heels.

“What do you expect us to do? Just endanger us all? Dad’s trying to strategize.”

“Fear isn’t going to help anything!” you counter. “If this is what you and Dad call protecting us,  _ strategizing,  _ then maybe you need to take a good look around. We’re not safe, Josh.” 

He flinches at your words, but otherwise remains still like impenetrable stone.

You raise your bandaged arm for him to see. “I’m not going to let that  _ monster _ hurt us again.”

“You’re not going to do anything, Y/N. Dad was right, it was wrong to involve you in our world,” he mumbles and you try not to show how hurt you are by his words. “Just come back inside. Ryan’s supposed to be coming home today, he doesn’t need this.”

As usual, you let yourself be swayed by him, and as he opens the front door for you to go through, you can’t help but whisper your final take on the argument: “There’s no way we’re going to win without fighting back.”

You expect him to ignore you or say something in response, but to your surprise he merely pulls you into his embrace and murmurs against your hair, “Let it go, Y/N.  _ Please. _ ”

But he knows you too well to know the truth. You won’t just let it go. Not this time. 


	5. All You See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things go bump in the night, you've seen it for yourself, but can life go back to the way it was?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for staying tuned!
> 
> I finally got to watching John Wick 2 and now I'm pumped for John Wick 3. I didn't know I'd be such a fan, but I can't help it. :)
> 
> Thank you guys for the love and support, I didn't imagine this fic would grow as much as it has and I owe it all to you guys. Writing this fic has been one of my most favorite moments and I can't wait to see what the road holds as we move forward.

“Monsters are real, ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.”

Stephen King

* * *

 

“Ryan isn’t going to be able to walk properly for a few weeks, but he’s on his way to a speedy recovery.” Dr. Simmons, a cheerful, pleasant gentleman who looks like he can’t be much older than your parents, tells you and your family this in a voice so soothing, you can’t help but be pacified by his words.

Your father nods. “Thank you,” he says. “If it’s possible, we’d like to see him now.”

Dr. Simmons leads you all to Ryan’s room where despite all that has happened, he is dressed and waiting with a bright smile on his face as if he’s been on vacation all this time. His chestnut brown hair is combed back and his face is a healthy color. It occurs to you in this moment that it wouldn’t matter if he looked like shit, you’re just so happy to see him _alive_.

Upon seeing the relief on all your faces, Ryan asks, with his shit-eating grin growing wider, “You all look terrible. What have I missed?”

Axel rushes to his side to pull him in for a hug. “You’ve been gone awhile, asshole. Glad to see your recent near death experience hasn’t changed you one bit.”

Your mother gives Axel a disapproving glance before she and your father join him to surround Ryan with loving embraces and welcome back kisses. It’s an awesome moment, but you and Josh still linger in the doorway, unwilling to move for reasons you both can’t admit, not even to yourselves. You look up to see the same uncertainty you feel right now reflected in Josh’s eyes, but apparently so does Ryan.

“Will ya stop blaming yourself, bro?” Ryan says sternly. “Forget about that night, alright? Come here.”

Josh hesitates at first, but then he makes his way over to Ryan. “I’m sorry,” is all he whispers but Ryan, bless him, pulls him in as if he’s forgiven. Of course you know better; Ryan was never angry in the first place.

When they break apart, Ryan’s hazel eyes meet yours. “Y/N, you get over here too.”

You approach him and he kisses your cheek. “Don’t you go blaming yourself either. Do you hear me?” he commands. “I’m going to be fine.”

You nod meekly, though you can’t help but give him a genuine smile. “It’s good to have you back, jerkface.” After all, it’s the truth.

* * *

 

The next day is a school day. Your alarm goes off and you briefly consider skipping; last night was tough because you could hear Ryan, in the room beside yours, screaming while he slept. Josh and Axel eventually got him to calm down, but you were paralyzed because you knew what he saw when he closed his eyes, for it was the same thing you saw when you closed yours.

Eventually you leave your bed and get ready, figuring you’ll stop by Ryan’s room to see how he’s doing.

Unsurprisingly, Josh is there, helping him with his crutches. They both look happy to see you.

“I came to say good morning,” you tell them. “You guys need any help?”

They both shrug. “We’re good,” Ryan says with a smile. “You joining us for breakfast?”

You nod and are about to say something else when Axel bounds in. “Morning everybody!”

“It’s no problem, I wanted to lose my hearing today,” you mumble. In retaliation, Axel ruffles your hair. Briefly, you contemplate homicide; you were never really a morning person, but Axel likes to mess with you anyway.

Josh comes to your rescue. “Axel, do you mind helping Ryan downstairs? I need to talk to Y/N for a sec. Holler if you need me.”

Axel rolls his eyes, the way he usually does when anyone asks him to do anything, before he proceeds to help Ryan.

Josh waits until they’re out of earshot to ask you. “Are you okay?”

You shrug. “I think we should be worrying about Ryan right now. Don’t you think?”

He folds his arms, his hazel eyes appearing wholly unimpressed. “Come on, Y/N, you can talk to me. I heard you whispering to yourself last night. You haven’t talked in your sleep since you were five.”

You raise your eyebrow and lean in closer to him, curiosity piqued. “What was I saying?”

Josh rakes a nervous hand through his light brown hair and his eyes are wide when he says, “Nothing really intelligible except, well. . .”

“Come on, Josh, spit it out.”

“He’s coming for me.”

A lump suddenly forms in your throat and you try to swallow it, and it helps, but you don’t notice you’re shaking until Josh places a comforting arm on your shoulder. “You want to tell me what’s going on? Are you still afraid of that vamp?”

You shake your head. “I don’t want to talk about it, Josh. It’s obvious that none of this vampire talk is good for Ryan.”

He nods, agreeing. “Just let me or Dad know if anything else happens, okay?”

You nod, but the dread hasn’t left. You can’t help but feel as if you’re running out of time. Fast.

* * *

 

“Y/N?” “Y/N?” “Y/N!”

“Yes, huh, I’m here Sister Agatha!”

The older, wizened nun raises an unamused dark eyebrow. “Apparently not.” The class erupts in poorly concealed laughter, but one glare from her and the class quiets again.

Your face gets hot and you know that if you were to see yourself you would be as red as a tomato.

“Y/N, can you please tell me the difference between longitude and latitude?” Sister Agatha asks, by the way her lips are downturned you know there’s no hope of winning her over or getting back on her good side.

“I. . .wasn’t paying attention, I’m sorry.” _Honesty’s the best policy_ , you think.

Her lips are almost bone white as she presses them into a harder line. “How do you expect to pass your classes if you’re always staring out into space!”

More laughter.

You blush while desperately wishing the ground could just swallow you up. “Umm, can I be excused?” you ask nervously.

Sister Agatha rolls her eyes, but lets you leave. You hurry out of the classroom like a bat out of hell and seek refuge in the girl’s bathroom.

Wetting your face with water from one of the taps, you aim to clear your head. You were thinking of him again. No matter how much you wish you didn’t, you can’t help but see his face _all the time_. It’s driving you crazy.

You know it’s not healthy, but you can’t help it. It’s as if your brain is stuck on an infinite loop. 

 _Well, at least the bathroom’s empty. No one around to witness my mortification or my descent into madness,_ you think.

But that’s when you see it, the shadow on the wall. At first, it passes by your peripheral vision and you don’t think much of it. But then it lingers like a large, menacing stain on the clean tiled walls, and no matter how much you blink or rub your eyes it’s still there.

Reaching in your pocket, you grab the Rosary. Slowly, you raise it in warning. Sure, you feel ridiculous but after the weeks you’ve been having, you can’t afford to take any chances. “Hail Mary, full of Grace. The lord is with thee,” you whisper, thumbing each bead with one hand while tightly gripping the crucifix in the other. To your delight, the shadow reels back and you sigh in relief, but your moment of peace is short-lived before something smashes into you propelling you into the nearest wall with a force so hard your lungs tremble. 

The cry gets stuck in your throat when a rough, scratchy voice says: "God himself cannot save you, girl."

Your eyes struggle to make out your assailant while your body tries to make sense of the pain coursing through you. What you expect to see are those same dark eyes that you can’t seem to escape, but you end up choking on perfectly good air when you realize that this isn’t the same vamp you have learned to fear. Instead, as he studies you with piercing white eyes glued to yours while his arm is pressed against your chest so hard you can feel the bones underneath protesting, without being able to even call to alert anyone who can help, you realize you don’t know this vampire, but you’re about to.


	6. Noose Like a Necklace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so the hunter has become the hunted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, thanks for staying tuned,
> 
> I definitely plan for there to be more chapters than just 8, so I'll change that marker when I update again.
> 
> Also, it's Halloween month! This is the perfect time to cuddle in bed with a cup of tea or coffee and marathon horror movies. This month gives me so much life.
> 
> I want to thank you all for kudosing, commenting, reading, bookmarking, it means a ton! <3
> 
> This chapter was a pain to write (ugh me being too much of a perfectionist), but in the end, I'm not too upset with how it turned out so I'll count that as a win? Maybe. 
> 
> Also, yay for sleep deprivation and me getting shit done lol.
> 
> Without further ado, please enjoy <333

You struggle and thrash vehemently in the vampire’s hold, but your efforts simply do nothing but amuse him greatly. His striking, pearl white irises glimmer with twisted delight as he watches your vain attempts and smiles with glee.

His mouth, a mangled, terrifying sight of sharp teeth and purple lips moves to speak and that awful, scratchy voice overpowers the dead silence of the bathroom.

“Poor, poor girl,” he says with mock sympathy. “Where is your god now, right when you need him most?” The words are meant to be scathing, but they sound even worse with his unnatural and stiff delivery.

It’s getting hard to breathe with his iron grip pressing into your rib cage, but somehow you manage to grit out a “Piss off,” while your lungs scream for air, leaving you to gasp out in agony the second the words leave your mouth.

He doesn’t seem bothered by your lack of cordiality, instead his grin only grows wider as he realizes with all the oxygen you’re losing it’s only a matter of time before you’re nothing but an oversized, lifeless puppet in his hands.

“I’ve never had a L/N in my grasp before. It’s strange, you don’t look like a capable vampire hunter.” He studies your face, mapping your features, before shaking his head disapprovingly. Tucking a lock of his long, limp, stringy silver hair behind his ear, he tsks. “However, you will have to do. You will be a notable sacrifice. One less L/N to worry about.”

You don’t have time to ponder on the meaning of that statement, because the world is beginning to spin and get blurry around the edges.

“Please,” is what you hear yourself say with your last trace of breath. To your surprise, he unceremoniously releases you and lets you fall to the ground, dumping you on the floor. Immediately, the air rushes into your lungs and the world starts to come back into focus. It takes a whole lot of coughing, but pretty soon you’re breathing normally again and the earth beneath you stops spinning. You’d be grateful to him for letting you go, if you weren’t already pissed to high heaven.

“Just what do you want?” you spit, glaring darkly up at him. “Are times really so hard you have to break into a Catholic all girl’s school to get your thrills?”

He glowers at you with those fierce eyes, before he’s down to your level in one swift movement. Grabbing your hair and yanking it roughly, he seethes, “You will speak to me with a little more respect.”

You’d laugh if you weren’t so mad you’re practically seeing bright colors. Smiling as if you’re the one who can rip him into shreds with your bare hands alone, you mutter, “Like I said, blood-breath: piss off.”

A terrifying, low growl bursts through him at your crassness and his bony-fingered, large hand wraps around your throat, aiming to rob you of the precious air you so desperately need. Just like that, you realize he can break your neck in seconds with minimal effort, but you react quickly. Taking the rosary up off the ground where it lies abandoned, you clasp it tightly in your hand before thrusting the small crucifix right into the vampire’s jaw.

He doesn’t turn to ashes like you expect, or at least hope, but there’s an ugly charred mark on his face where the crucifix burns right through his undead flesh. He howls in pain as he tries to peel it off his frizzled skin and you’d revel in your victory if you weren’t already trying to scramble away before he attempts to reach for you again.

You manage to get to your feet, preparing to make a run for it when someone materializes in front of you at a speed that would put an Olympic racer to shame. He’s another vamp, one with the same striking white eyes as the first, except he looks more youthful, with short starlight-silver hair and a face of an angel - a demented, nefarious angel whose very presence seems like it was meant to inspire fear in the hearts of mortals.

An icy chill crawls up your spine and you hesitate to move, realizing you’re alone with two vampires who can outrun you no question. Your mind races as you try to think of a way out, but every crevice you search in your normally fast working brain, is completely blank.

“W-what do you want?” You hear yourself say and at any other time you’d be impressed by your own bravery if you weren’t currently drowning in your cowardice.

“Brother!” The vampire behind you coughs out. “Shall we kill her now?” There’s a faint rustling sound as he moves behind you to clasp your hand with his iron, freezing cold grip.

The handsome vampire in front of you gives you a kind, deceiving smile. “Please forgive Ulric, he doesn’t spend enough time with humans to remember his manners.”

You nod your head, pretending to care, when really you’re still rifling through your head for answers and means to escape.

“I suppose you’re wondering who we are and my dear, there will be plenty of time for introductions. Unfortunately, time is something we’re short of at the moment.” His voice, soothing and inviting like a siren’s call is starting to distract you.

You nod your head again, rather meekly.

“You see you’re a very special girl. Ulric and I don’t exactly go around picking just anyone to join our family. We only choose the best.” He leans back against the bathroom wall and sighs appreciatively as he takes in your appearance. You begin to feel a bit emboldened by his apparent approval of your school uniform. “We aren’t like ordinary vampires, these sacred walls here,” he continues as his smooth hands trace one of the tiles of the bathroom. “Can’t hold us back as it does for our weaker friends. It’s an honor to be selected to join us.”

“I already have a family,” you say, but you can’t keep your eyes off him. His beauty and alluring charm is like a magnet and you’re stuck in its force, helpless to its pull. It’s like you’re entirely on autopilot, speaking without even fully realizing what you’re saying. All you want to see is him. All you want to think about is him.

He turns to you, his eyes meet yours and fill your vision with their wonderfully unusually arresting quality.

“Ahh, but dear one, our family is better. You’ll see for yourself.” His eyes pin you under his stare again and your breath hitches. This doesn’t go unnoticed by him. A corner of his lips quirks up into a smile and you are paralyzed by the pure pulchritude of this otherworldly being. “Ulric is the more forceful of the two of us, but don’t believe for a second that this isn’t an invitation,” he says through immaculate lips. “Consider this your warm welcome.”

Every nerve in your body is screaming at you to nod your head, to tell him yes, to go with him anywhere he wants to take you, but your mind, the anchor keeping you from following his maddening melody is pleading with you to consider the cost of all this. There’s not much stopping you from saying yes, not much at all except, that it could cost you your life. But what price is your life when you could find your purpose with this strange, fascinating man?

It’s a price too small to contemplate.

The vampire must see the decision clear on your face because he asks you, even more softly, “You will make a lovely immortal servant, don’t you think?”

Helplessly, you nod in agreement and he flashes his perfect teeth at you in approval. “Ulric,” he says to his brother. “I believe she’ll be my favorite one.”

 


	7. Anathema

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your self-control, your survival instincts, everything that makes you human and capable is sinking deep into the recesses of your mind to a foreign place where you can’t reach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I am back! I've been around, updating stories here and there, as I worked on some plot points for this fic. I really enjoyed writing this chapter. And in turn, I hope you guys like this one as well.
> 
> Love y'all.
> 
> <3

"I knew that something would always rule me...

All you have is your fire,"

\- _'Arsonist's Lullabye'_ , Hozier

* * *

 

Your self-control, your survival instincts, everything that makes you human and capable is sinking deep into the recesses of your mind to a foreign place where you can’t reach. A tiny part of you desperately lunges for that final thread, your one chance of surviving these vampires: the anchor grounding your sanity, but the other, more dominant part of you fights just as desperately to throw it all away. It isn’t hard to see which one is winning.

Your legs stumble forward as Ulric releases your hand to shove you rather forcefully in his brother’s direction.  The handsome vampire catches you gracefully in his arms, giving you an apologetic smile as he brushes a loose tendril of your hair from your face. 

“So you must be, the exquisite Y/N.” He stares at you in wonder, marveling at your features as if he’s never seen anyone like you. You can’t help but be a little confused at that, after all,  _ he’s  _ the beautiful one. “I must say, you’re more breathtaking than I could have ever imagined. What fools - your family, to not have you locked away where monsters like us can never reach you.”

Words escape you. You’re too distracted by his hands around your shoulders and his sweet breath igniting your senses to speak. When he leans in closer to breathe in more of your scent, whatever blood that was flowing to your brain goes elsewhere and you watch him like a mindless puppet.

“You see, my dear Y/N. Ulric and I are the very monsters your parents warn you about,” he says, but he could be giving you a detailed escape plan and the numbers to the lottery right now, and you’d still be clueless.  _ I should be scared,  _ you think. But the emotion doesn’t want to appear. 

In fact, it’s hard to feel anything other than the need for him to touch you. You crave it so much it feels as if your skin’s on fire, and he’s the only one who can tame it.

“Enough of this, she won’t be dazzled for long brother. We should take her away now while we have the chance,” Ulric suggests impatiently.

You make a noise of protest as the handsome vampire releases you. He pins those striking eyes on his brother and the loss stings because he is no longer staring at you. “Very well, we shall go.”

No hope of clarity returns as you are suddenly hoisted back into strong, capable arms and carried out of the bathroom.

“To be mine eternally doesn’t sound so bad, does it, my angel?” he asks and you nod fervently. It’s an undeniable truth - absolutely nothing sounds better.

You wonder how he’s going to sneak you out of the school when it’s still daylight and there are students, staff, and the nuns still around, but it’s only a fleeting thought as his cool arms tighten around you and your filled with a sense of security.

_ You’re giving up! _ The tiny part of you still fighting screams, but you silence it quickly.  _ Shhh, I’m safe. _

And then you hear the all too familiar voice and your sense of security and safety falls shattered to the ground like the pristine glass walls of an illusion. “Put her down, Ciro.”

As if you’re trapped in a nightmare, the fear holds you captive upon hearing that voice, the voice of the angel of death himself. All the alarms in your mind simultaneously go off, urging you to escape by any means necessary. The vampire, Ciro, doesn’t let you go even as you thrash in his hold.  It doesn’t seem as if he’s even noticed your squirming. 

“Oh and who’s going to make me? Do you honestly think I’m afraid of the Boogeyman?” his voice is mocking, scathing. It’s a perverted version of the melodious tune you’re used to hearing.

“I won’t ask you again,” Wick says and there’s nothing but danger lacing his words. You swallow your gulp as a cold sweat breaks across your face and your heart slams against your chest.

Ulric speaks up and his voice is wild and desperate. “Do as he says, brother,  _ please _ .” When you gather the courage to lift your head in his direction, Wick, has Ulric in what can only be described as a chokehold and from the looks of it, Ulric is in great pain.

Through all this, Ciro still doesn’t budge. “You really think I would trade an L/N for my brother?” He punctuates this with a harsh laugh.

Wick’s hold on Ulric only grows tighter. 

The spell binding your mind loosens it’s deathgrip a fraction and you struggle again to get out of Ciro’s hold. “Please, please let me go,” you beg.

“Shut up, girl!” he commands and his eyes flash with something so unspeakably evil, it’s almost enough to silence you for good. Almost. 

“Let me go!” you yell, thrashing even more violently in his hold. He doesn’t release you, but it allows for enough time to distract him so Wick can make an attempt to free you. With a move so powerful and quick, you fall to the ground from the force of the throw Wick launches at Ciro. He flies across the hall and smashes into a nearby cement wall.  Wick watches the other vamp for any sign of movement while simultaneously gathering you into his arms. 

“Are you all right?” he asks.

You nod on instinct, but you can’t help but stare at the chaos around you as the entire school descends into madness upon witnessing the commotion.

“I have to get you out of here. It’s not safe,” he urges, helping you to your feet.

But the inferno consuming your mind and your body isn’t fully dead, and you’re still punch drunk on the high of being so close to a vampire with that kind of power that you don’t fail to realize there’s a vamp with an even stronger power in your proximity. Through all the calamity and terror and the very real danger you’re in, your dazed mind is still craving touch like a starved, depraved, doped up junkie desperate for your next fix. 

“I-n-need.” The words struggle to arise and it’s hard to tell him what you mean especially since you don’t fully know yourself. But you need it, whatever it is and you have to have it or you. Will. Surely. Die.

“Damn it!,” Wick curses, seeming to finally understand after a few torturously long seconds of you flailing. “He messed with your head.”

Confused, you frown at him, as the fire slowly rises to heat your skin with an intensity so bad, it’s making you even more delirious. “Wh-what do you mean?” You aim to sound composed, but you can feel your cheeks burning hot and you’re sure if you could see yourself right now you’d look like you were suffering from a severe fever. You’re not fooling anyone. Especially not him. 

“He fucked with your mind. Usually when a vampire does that, the only way to get back to normal is to let one feed from your blood. The action - it’s meant to calm you down,” Wick explains, watching your face carefully for signs of growing fear. 

You don’t know what exactly he sees, but it’s enough for his concerned expression to deepen. That tiny part of you with the sense to know better is recoiling at the thought of ever letting a vampire touch you. That it even happened causes you shame, but the other part, the part that’s dancing in the fire wants it again. And what’s most embarrassing is you don’t want any other vamp. If you’re going to let one feed from you, touch you, breathe in your scent, then not just anyone will suffice, not even Ciro. You want Wick. 

You should hate him, but you can’t. Not when he’s the one who can give you your fix. And it’s not a matter of  _ if _ , it’s a matter of  _ when _ .  

On shaky legs you step forward and Wick catches you from falling gracelessly to the floor. 

"Let's do it," you suggest and by the brief flash of absolute hunger in his eyes, you know you're both so far gone even hell won't have you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! See you next chapter!
> 
> Also in this universe, vampires walk among us but no one can really tell they're not human so they remain undetected. More on that soon.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave me your thoughts/comments/questions and I will get back to you!
> 
> Thanks for being awesome! More to come soon! (^__-)


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